TRIP REPORT & PHOTOS from Egypt (Cairo Metro, Overnight Train to Luxor)

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I was in Egypt for about 6 days last November, and finally posted my photos from that trip to my website.  I rode the Metro in Cairo and also the overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor and back during my visit.

The overnight train was certainly not the nicest I had ever been on in my life, but it wasn't entirely horrible either (though we were several hours late on the return trip from Luxor for some unexplained reason, apparently a common occurrence, and making a reservation for the train was pretty complicated, and further so as a result of an Islamic holiday that fell out the day after we arrived in Cairo so the ticket office had limited hours before our train left).  I took a few photos of the trains but none of them are really internet worthy.

The Cairo Metro is the only subway on the African continent.  It currently has two lines, the first of which feels more like a suburban train operation that runs underground through central Cairo and that has overhead catenary to power the trains.  The second, newer line feels and looks much more like a subway.  It has the distinction of being the first time any tunnel was constructed under the Nile River.  The trains had a full width cab, but I had a pretty decent view out of the rear RFW when I was standing by it, I never tried riding up front and seeing if there was a good RFW view there.  I'm pretty sure that the Cairo Metro now has the distinction of being the cheapest subway in the entire world, since Mexico City doubled its fare from 1.5 to 3 pesos last year.  The fare on the Cairo Metro is 1 EGP for all trips, regardless of distance, which is equal to about 0.17 USD.  Trains were crowded nearly every time I rode them, but the system is clean and trains come frequently, it is probably the single most efficient thing in all of Cairo (which is saying something).  Also, it felt quite safe, and the middle two cars of each train are reserved for women only (they can ride in any other car as well, but men cannot ride in the women-only cars).  Two new lines, including one to the airport, are in the construction and design phases.

Egypt has a pretty negative attitude towards photography.  It used to be if you wanted to bring your camera into many museums, you could pay an extra 5-20 EGP (no more than 5 dollars) to get a camera pass, but now they are generally banned outright and you either have to check them at the entrance (and hope they give you yours back and not someone elses) or leave them at your hotel.  The Metro is guarded by armed police, and armed police have a significant presence throughout the country since it has been under emergency rule since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981.  I did take a few pictures, but I didn't try getting too many and drawing too much attention to myself. 

Line 1:




Line 2:






Heliopolis Tram (which I never rode):




Also, since it is off-topic, if you want to see my non-transit photos (including photos from the Great Pyramids of Giza, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings), click here.